From the Comments: MLive readers debate Right to Work possibly coming to Michigan

View full sizeAP Photo/Michael Conroy Union protestors march past Lucas Oil Stadium, site of Super Bowl XLVI, after the Senate voted to pass the right-to-work bill in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. The governor is expected to sign the bill later in the day. The legislation prohibits labor contracts requiring workers to pay union representation fees.

There are 23 Right to Work states throughout the United States, most of them in the southern and western portion of the country.

Proponents both for and against Right to Work coming to Michigan spoke on the panel at the discussion at SVSU on Wednesday.

William Borch, Upstate Business Agent for Ironworkers Local 25, said that bringing Right to Work to Michigan would be a bad idea.

"When you look at our state, now that there's a Republican governor,
they've passed over two dozen anti-labor bills with about another 85
pending," Borch said. "It's quite clear there is a clear and organized
attack on labor."

Jimmy Greene, chief executive officer and president of the Saginaw
region Association of Builders and Contractors, defended Right to Work.

"It's political," Greene said. "It's silly to pretend otherwise. That's
never going to not change. Don't think for one minute that they are
going to look at the fairness for this. It does not eliminate unions.
This is public policy. This is politics. This is not an attack on labor
unions."

Most of the debate over Michigan becoming a right-to-work state is based
on the assumption that it will create business growth, but as an
attendee at the discussion, one of the points that was made about
right-to-work states is that they tend to share a lot of characteristics
that may be what has contributed to their slightly higher business
growth rates. Growth is not necessarily attributable to BEING a
right-to-work state. So, if Michigan becomes a right-to-work state, it
does not necessarily follow that Michigan would see increased business
growth. It is true that average wages are still lower in right-to-work
states. Whether or not Michigan would see decreased average wages is
also another unknown.

It shouldn't matter what anyone thinks about Michigan becoming a right
to work state. If the people of Michigan really want to save the state
and compete against other right to work states it is mandatory that
Michigan becomes a right to work state. We have lost thousands of jobs
to other states simply because the first question asked by large
corporations is when will you be a right to work state; when that
happens, we the large corporations will be knocking at your door. If
this needs to be a ballot issue,then lets get it on the next ballot. I
guarantee you it will pass.

Right to work will kill the state. It will wipe out the middle class and
more people will need state assistance. It will cost the state and
empower the CEO's in the long run. You can't have it so one sided.

Just remember the people of unions made the middle class of Michigan. If
most people would have to work for minimum wage or slightly over they
will never afford house payments or car payments. There will be a lot of
poverty in this state for years to come.